Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley, and Incline Village

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, the second deepest lake in the United States, is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The scenic seventy-two mile drive around the lake is filled with public parks, beaches, and picnic areas to stop and enjoy the view

As we drive towards our accommodations for the next two days, we pull over along the winding, two lane road for our first view of Lake Tahoe.

Alibi Ale Works

Staying near Incline Village, we drive to the highly recommendedT’s Mesquite Rotisserie for a bite to eat. Burritos and tacos stuffed with fire roasted meats, this restaurant lived up to its expectations.

After dinner, we walk just around the corner to Alibi Ale WorksBrewery and Taproom before turning in for the evening. Their second location is in Truckee, California.

Squaw Valley Ski Resort

We awake early the next morning and drive to Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California. The host of the 1960 Winter Olympics was voted the number one ski resort in North America in 2016.

Taking theAerial Tram to the ice skating rink, we have an uninterrupted view of the Sierra mountains and ski trails two thousand feet below.Unfortunately, due to record amounts of snow the winter of 2016/2017 the Olympic Ice Pavilion is now closed due to irreparable damage.The view from the ice pavilion was breathtaking. As we skate around the rink, we are at the mercy of the wind. Power skating against the gust, I fight to reach the other end of the rink. Rounding the bend, the wind fiercely pushes me back to the other side.

After ice skating we visit The Village at Squaw Valley, a European-style collection of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. We warm up and enjoy a beer at Auld Dubliner Irish Pub and Restaurant.

Tahoe Mountain Brewing Company

While in California, we drive off the beaten path toTahoe Mountain Brewing Company in Truckee. While enjoying our beer flight, we learn about their second location, Tahoe Mountain Brew Pub in Tahoe City, very close to our accommodations. Later we stop for dinner and a great view of the sunset over Lake Tahoe.

Kings Beach State Recreation Area

Driving back from Truckee, we visitKings Beach State Recreation Area before having lunch at Char-Pit. The family owned restaurant originally operated as a walk up hamburger stand opened in nineteen sixty-two.

Diamond Peak Ski Resort

Staying near Incline Village, we stop atI.V. Coffee Labthe next morning before driving only a few minutes toDiamond Peak Ski Resort. As a beginner skier, it is less crowded and the lift tickets are more affordable.

Although there were only a couple of easier trails, the view of Lake Tahoe on the way down the mountain is amazing.

After a day of skiing, we drive to Rookie’s Sports Bar for late night pizza. Being the only customers, the service was great and the bartender taught us a lot about the area.

On our winding drive up the mountain back to the house, we stop to watch one last sunset over Lake Tahoe.

Wishing we had one more day to drive the seventy-two miles around the lake, we pack our bags in preparation of our flight back to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning. We’re definitely planning to return to Lake Tahoe.

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Author: The Traveling Gingerbread

My fiancé, Mitch, and I have been traveling together over four years. Living and working full-time in Pittsburgh, PA, we travel as much as our vacation days and finances allow. We cram each adventure with activities, tours, and experiences to maximize our time. Any time we travel, we try to visit to a local brewery and can't walk by an Irish pub without stopping in for a pint of Guinness.
In Tokyo, we laughed every time we saw someone talking on their large, animated phone case. We had to buy one. Having an obsolete IPhone 5, the selection was limited. We purchased a gingerbread off a neglected rack in Shinjuku, Tokyo and The Traveling Gingerbread was born. You can purchase your own adorable gingerbread friend here!
The Traveling Gingerbread is an entertaining account of our travels, fun facts, and tips we learned along the way.
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